Golf tee



Jan. 28, 1969 Filed Dec. 20, 1965 'INVENTOR. JOSEPH ROBERTSON United States Patent 3,424,457 GOLF TEE Joseph P. Robertson, 10511 Havenlake Circle, Dallas, Tex. 75238 Filed Dec. 20, 1965, Ser. No. 515,519 U.S. Cl. 273-33 Int. Cl. A63b 57/00 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to apparatus used in playing the 7 game of golf, and more particularly to an accessory for placing a golf ball in an elevated position in preparation for its being driven a long distance by the force exerted on it when struck by the face of a golf club head.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a device which will allow the golf ball to drop to a lower elevation when the arc followed by the golf club head is slightly lower than the arc which would be followed for perfect contact with the ball when it is resting in its initially placed position, thereby allowing it to drop to a position nearer the line of arc of the lower swing and in a position to come in contact nearer the point on the face of the golf club head behind which the greatest weight is concentrated, and thus increasing the probability of a better drive than would result had not the ball dropped to a lower position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device which will tend to stay in its anchored position after having been used for its basic purpose, thereby lessening the probability of its loss.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device which will keep a golf ball elevated and immobile.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a golf ball tee which can be produced, packaged, and sold in large quantities at a comparatively low cost, and which, due to hardy materials and sturdy construction, will withstand a great amount of punishing use, thereby providing a device which can be economically utilized wherever needed.

Still additional objects, benefits, and advantages will become evident from a study of the following detailed description given in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the golf tee comprising the instant invention in a disassembled state.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the golf tee comprising the instant invention in an assembled state.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the instant invention.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the assembled invention to be used to describe its action in use.

Referring now specifically to the drawing, a golf tee, FIGURE 2, made in accordance with the present invention is shown to include a ball support shaft 15 which may be constructed of sheet aluminum or similar durable material and which will have a circular opening 12 between the tip end 18 and obtuse angle 10, and another circular opening 16 between the base end 20 and obtuse angle 14. The obtuse angles 10 and 14 will be equal in degree but opposite in angle.

Golf tee, FIGURE 1 is also shown to include a ball seat ring 32 which may be constructed of a flexible material such as rubber, and which will be in the shape of a ring, with a groove 34 separating the ball seat 36 and the ball seat base 30.

Golf tee FIGURE 1 is also shown to include a resilient washer 38 which is constructed of a resilient material such as sponge rubber of considerable density, and which is of a circular shape with a small hole in the center.

Golf tee, FIGURE 1 is also shown to include an anchor spike 27 which is constructed of a hard material such as aluminum alloy, or of a hard plastic material. This anchor spike is generally conical in shape, with a flat top 24, directly beneath which is a groove 26, then tapering to a point 28. The top 24 is somewhat larger in circumference than groove edge 25 which is of the same circumference as circular opening 16 in the ball support shaft 15.

Assembly of the device, FIGURE 2, is accomplished in the following manner:

The ball seat 36 is inserted upward through circular opening 12 of ball support shaft 15 and since the circumference of groove 34 is the same as that of circular opening 12, circular opening 12 acts as a collar to hold the ball seat ring 36 snugly and firmly in place.

The point 28 of anchor spike 27 is inserted downward through circular opening 16 of 'ball support shaft 15 and continues on through small hole 37 of resilient washer 38. The resilient washer 38 is then pushed over groove edge 25 of anchor spike 27 until it fits into groove 26. Due to the elasticity of the resilient washer, and since groove edge 25 is of greater circumference than small hole 37, and as the top 24 of anchor spike 27 is of greater circumference than circular opening 16 in ball support shaft 15, the anchor spike 27 and the ball support shaft 15 will be held in this position by the pressure of the resilient washer 38 as it fits into groove 26.

Referring now to FIGURE 4, the operation of this device will be readily understood.

The anchor spike 27 is inserted into the teeing ground, herein represented by line 47, and pressure applied until the base 33 of resilient washer comes in firm contact with the teeing ground 47. The tip 1 8 of ball support shaft is to point in the direction of the intended drive. A golf ball 44 is then placed in ball seat 36, where it will rest in an elevated position.

In the event the golfer makes what would be a perfect swing for a normally intended drive, the point on the face of the club head behind which the greatest weight of the club head is concentrated would follow the are represented by broken line 40, and this point would come in contact with point 49 on the ball, which would be ideal. The sole of the golf club head would follow broken line 41, and there would be only slight disturbance to the golf tee. I

However, in the event the are followed by the club head was slightly lower, the following action would result. In the illustration, dotted line 42 represents the are followed by the point on the club head face behind which the greatest weight is concentrated, and dotted line 43 represents the are followed by the club head sole. In this representation it will be noted that the sole of the golf club head comes in contact with the ball support shaft at point 48. This contact forces the ball support shaft to the position represented by dotted line 46. This action removes support for the golf ball 44, and it will drop to a lower position as represented by circular broken line 45.

Due to the speed of the golf club head, this new position 45 would not be low enough for the point on the face of .the club head behind which the greatest weight is concentrated to come in contact with point 49 on the ball. Nevertheless, more of the effect of the concentrated weight of the club head will be transmitted to the ball than would have been possible had the ball been hit from a conventional tee, due to the fact that the contact came nearer to the concentrated weight.

Other action that would result from the club head coming in contact with the ball support shaft along its surface 15 would be the prying action of angle 14 against the top 24 of the anchor spike. However, since the resilience of washer wall 38 absorbs a portion of the shock, the anchor stem 27 is less likely to be pulled from the ground. The washer 38 also serves to return the ball support shaft to its original position.

'While this invention has been described with particular reference to the construction shown in the detail drawing, and while various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus completely and fully described the invention, what is now claimed as new and desired to be prot-ected by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. A golf tee, comprising, in combination, a ball support shaft of generally slender rectangular shape, extending in a diagonal direction upward from an anchored end at ground level, with a ball seat ring attached to the extended end of the shaft for the purpose of keeping the ball resting immobile, an anchor spike of generally conical shape for the purpose of keeping the shaft anchored to the ground, and a resilient washer which fits over the anchor spike below the anchored end of the ball support shaft and acts as a resilient base in order that any weight or pressure greater than the weight of a golf ball on the extended end of the ball support shaft, or on being struck by any degree of force along the surface of the ball support shaft will cause the extended tip of the ball support shaft to drop to a lower position, and thus remove support for the golf ball, but will return to its original position when the weight or force is removed.

2. A golf tee as set forth in claim 1, wherein said ball support shaft comprises a diagonal center portion and two end portions, the connections between said end portions and said center portion comprising obtuse angles of like degree but of opposite angle such that two end portions are in parallel spaced relation to each other, and parallel to the supporting surface on which they are anchored.

3. A golf tee as set forth in claim 1, wherein the anchor spike comprises a flat head below which a groove extends around the circumference of a shaft, after which said shaft tapers to a pointed end.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,595,130 8/1926 Wilcox 273204 1,924,473 8/ 1933 Walsh 273202 2,509,166 5/ 1950 Phillips 273204 FOREIGN PATENTS 411,305 6/1934 Great Britain.

ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner.

P. E. SHAPIRO, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 273207 

